Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of my co-authors, I am very pleased to share our recent
publication about "Species diversity and critical habitats of offshore and
deep-diving cetaceans in the South China Sea " in Biological Conservation.
Abstract:
Despite being recognized as a global marine biodiversity hotspot, the South
China Sea (SCS) is a distinct "cetacean data-deficient area". In particular,
robust scientific knowledge and conservation baseline information available
for offshore cetacean species in this region remain scarce. Between 2019 and
2023, we conducted six systematic ship-based surveys to investigate
cetaceans occurring potentially in the offshore waters of the SCS, primarily
around the Xisha-Zhongsha Islands. During the field surveys, 211 cetacean
sightings comprising 187 single- and 24 mixed-species sightings were
recorded. We identified 17 odontocete species, all offshore and deep-diving
species. Notably, the pantropical spotted dolphin, short-finned pilot whale,
and Fraser's dolphin, were recognized as the dominant species because of
regular presence, commonness and high relative abundance. Based on the field
sightings reported in this study and supplementary opportunistic sightings,
we confirm 25 cetacean species living in the SCS. By integrating several
additional data sources, such as stranding records and taxidermy/skeletal
specimens, we further establish a cetacean species checklist consisting of
at least 36 species. Biogeographically, the northern SCS (especially
Xisha-Zhongsha waters) not only supports a remarkably high level of cetacean
richness, and may also function as nursery and/or feeding grounds for the
"Vulnerable" sperm whale and serve as critical habitats for many other
offshore and deep-diving species. Therefore, we recommend that the
Xisha-Zhongsha waters be proposed as a candidate Important Marine Mammal
Area (IMMA), which has great potential to be delineated and managed for
conservation.
The article is freely accessible via this link:
Species diversity and critical habitats of offshore and deep-diving
cetaceans in the South China Sea - ScienceDirect
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320724003707?dgcid=a
uthor>
For any queries, please feel free to contact me at
<mailto:l...@idsse.ac.cn> l...@idsse.ac.cn
Best Regards
Songhai
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Songhai Li Ph.D. & Prof.
Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory
Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering
Chinese Academy of Sciences
28 Luhuitou Road, Sanya, 572000, China
Phone: +86-898-88222393
Email: <mailto:l...@sidsse.ac.cn> l...@idsse.ac.cn
<http://www.idsse.cas.cn/yjsgk2015/zzjg2015/yftx2015/shkxyjb2015/hybrdwyhysw
sxyjz2015/>
http://www.idsse.cas.cn/yjsgk2015/zzjg2015/yftx2015/shkxyjb2015/hybrdwyhysws
xyjz2015/
<http://www.cetacean.csdb.cn/> http://www.cetacean.csdb.cn/
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